Global Textile Recycling Day

Garson & Shaw believes in textile recycling, we connect the things you no longer need with people who can use them. It’s our business to give used clothing a second life. Through our work, we form part of Sustainable Development Goal # 13, Climate Action.

By re-wearing, reusing, and recycling clothing, we save precious natural resources, reduce pollution, and keep waste out of landfills, and reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Every item of clothing saved is good for our planet. Garson & Shaw is committed to environmental stewardship through textile reuse and recycling.

We work with thrift stores, charities and for-profit collection companies to recycle millions of pounds of clothes, shoes and household items. Recyclers can feel good knowing that their used items are finding a new home through Garson & Shaw.

In 2022, Garson & Shaw saved 323,644,337 lbs of used textiles and other used items from the landfill, giving them a second life.

Textile recycling refers to the practice of collecting, sorting, and processing used textiles to create new textile products. Recycling also means to use again. Textile recycling is an important way to reduce the environmental impact of the fashion industry, which is known for its high levels of waste and pollution.

The textile recycling industry is growing as consumers become more aware of the impact of their consumption on the environment. Many organizations are working to promote textile recycling and to create a more sustainable fashion industry.

 

Textile recycling has several positive impacts on the environment, including:

 

• Reducing waste: Textile waste is a significant problem for the environment, as it takes up space in landfills and can take hundreds of years to decompose. By recycling textiles, we can reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills.
• Conserving resources: Textile production requires a significant amount of resources, such as water, energy, and raw materials. By recycling textiles, we can conserve these resources and reduce the environmental impact of textile production.
• Saving energy: Textile recycling requires less energy than producing new textiles from raw materials. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, recycling one ton of textiles can save over 5,000 kilowatt-hours of energy.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: Textile production is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. By recycling textiles, we can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted during the production of new textiles.
• Creating new products: Textile recycling can create new products, such as clothing, accessories, and home textiles, without the need for new raw materials. This reduces the environmental impact of textile production and conserves resources.

Overall, textile recycling is a sustainable solution to the environmental problems caused by the fashion industry. By recycling textiles, we can reduce waste, conserve resources, save energy, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while creating new products and promoting sustainable economic development.